Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-18
WEDNESDAY. 49,. MAY Is. 1887
The People.

We again remind the mcmDeTs VI tue
Legislature that unless they allow the peo'
ple 10 decide for themselves whether they
will or will not accept the best one OF the
propositions made by the bondholders.
they will soon have TO meet the charge
upon every stump in the Commonwealth
and from every MALONE paper. tina. they
were afraid TO trust the people. What
possible objection there can be to allowing
the voters TO speak for themselves, we can
not imagine.
The Democratic party must be substan-
italy a unit on the debt question, or
MALONE will be the next United States
senator from Virginia. We cannot afford
10 divide; for we cannot by any possibility
m3te n serious breach in the MALONE
ranks. There are good Democrats 10
the commercial centres who honestly
snd sincerely believe that the peo-
pie Of Virginia are ready and will
ling TO accept the best one OF the bond
holders propositions, and who will never
be convinced that such Is not the fact until
the people speak their wishes through the
ballot-box. We do not by any means share
in this opinion to any extent whatever. On
the contrary. We hold that the masses are
SO exaspersted with the bondholders that
il will be next to impossible to get them
to stand TO and abide by the terms Of
the Riddleberger bill. But, we repeat,
there are sound, conservative, true Demo-
Gratis ia all the commercial and trading To-
caities in the State who are so anxious to
settle the debt that thepcannot with pa
thence tolerate the notion OF rejecting all
The bondbolders' propositions without ask
ing the voters TO express themselves upon
The subject. The Times, Of this city, says:
1.-THE people OF Virginia will verv soon
see that DEBT settlement could not hurt
them so much as the proposed action OF
some OF the politicians TO leave the state
with such a bad reputation that we cannot
get the capital to come here, as 1t does to
other southern States"
That is a direct appeal 10 the people.
Why not, then, let the people say whether
they are willing to take the risk Of being
thus hurt or not! Certainly the Times Is
willing TO go before the people on the issue
indicated; for in another place it says:
eth. whole point is in the question
whether the bOsdholders' proposition,
" hich was determined, was within the
compass OF the states revenues.
eli, A. appears now, the proposition OF |
The or, dItors was fair and practical &C |
col ding TO The ground We have always |
tsken, 1t should have been accepted by the |
commissioners
II II bsd been accepted by the commits |
sloners the people, we have TO doubt, |
would have rejected it at the ballot box. |
IIOwevr r. those Of rs who are OF that Opin- !
ION my be- mistaken, and The Times NAV |
be light ~ to " Lat the people desire in this |
connection. How IS the question to b. de |
cided unless by submitting it TO the popular |
voteY Are the Democrats to 90 into the |
fall campaign with two different piAnk' in
their debt platform i-wbiI-t the hibonei'es |
SIC unit: The Times makes in other |
words the same point which we have made.
1t says:
"hs fsr rs has been learned The bond. !
holders presented proposition thlt would |
81 allie the State TO settle within the range |
Of her revenues.
"Neilher the commissioners nor the |
Legislature can determine the action Of The |
Democratic party on these reports OF the |
offers and counter offers OF settlement; and |
the question viii stand squarely before the /
people for A fair settlement or for repudla-
ton, for il virtually amounts TO that when
we attempt 10 force the Riddeberger bill
with the threat OF Reputation unless 1t is
accepted. We notice that some OF the
newst apers that were explaining the ne
cessiiy OF certnn moves on the part OF the
Democracy on the ground that Malone
would con out for reputation have al
mitted that Malone VIII not be repudla.
tor.
$50 ibat the regulators would be left
betv cen the debt-psying wing Of the Demo-
crstic party snd the Republicans.
"H ttey think 10 tOuster the Democratic
marty on reputation or gather enough Re-
publicsns 10 carry itthey are mistaken, and
when they fsil what are they to do aud
where are they TO go!"
"7he question ,oW stand fairiybJore the
people for n fair settlement or for repudia.
ton The members OF the General As.
sembiy are thus chalen ged to meet the issue
"befoIe the people," How eau you do |
otberNiSc?